Wildflower watch

Bluebonnets are blooming but we need April showers for greater displays.

Pink evening primroses got the jump on the spring wildflower season. Colonies of the fluttery fluttery blooms have claimed many Texas roadsides and medians, scoffing at rain thirsty soil.

But the deficit forced bluebonnets into an early holding pattern. While you’ll still see pretty patches of blue, the plants are short, and flowers are small along bluebonnet trails in Washington County.

Washington County Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Except for spectacular pools of primroses, the drought is impacting flowers. But I think if we got rain, the flowers would pop. If no rain, we’ll have flowers but not nearly the display we had last year.”

Indian paintbrush is especially scarce, but wild mustard has formed clouds of yellow. Coreopsis looked promising midweek.

And there are bluebonnets stands along U.S. 290 between Burton and Brenham,; at Washington-on-the Brazos Historic Site,; north of Brenham along FM 390 between Texas 36 and Independence; and near Old Baylor Park, a popular site for photos a half- mile west of Independence.

Typically at least a foot tall, many bluebonnet plants are half that size. With stands only ankle high, photography is best from a distance.

“A dry fall, winter and spring is making things rough for wildflower displays,” says Dennis Markwardt, vegetation mangement director for TxDOT. “It looks pretty dismal this year. But there are still some good stands. You just have to cover more miles to see them.”

The Hill Country is especially short on color, yet, in addition to Washington County, coastal and South Texas have some blooms.

Decent rains will improve the bluebonnets, and coreopsis, cutleaf daisy and Indian blankets can still make good shows.” Markwardt says.

“Last year’s bumper crop of wildflowers mean more seeds were produced that could come up a year or two down the road with good fall rains.”

Natural heritage

There are 5,000 wildflower species found across Texas’ 10 diverse vegetation zones. TxDOT encourages 30 of these by sowing 30,000 pounds of wildflower seed each fall along highways to supplement natural seeding.

Wildflowers draw admiring, camera-carrying crowds to these roadways. The plants also create biodiversity as they provide food and shelter for birds, butterflies, bees and small mammals.

Wildflowers provide other environmental benefits as well. Rain is helpful, but wildflowers are more drought-resistant than many plants and therefore help conserve water. They also cut pesticide use, decrease runoff (which improves water quality), slow erosion and reduce mowing needs.

Less mowing means less emissions pollution and lower highway maintenance costs. Dennis Markwardt says TxDOT has a $40 million budget for 800,000 of mowable right of way. Crews wait for wildflowers to go to seed to help ensure future blooms.

Bloom Watch

For the latest and best showings, check TxDOT’s wildflower hot line, 800-452-9292, or visit www.txdot.gov.

It’s not illegal to pick wildflowers along public roads, but the Texas Department of Transportation asks that we not remove or trample the blooms, leaving fewer for others to enjoy. When flowers aren’t able to go to seed, there are fewer the next year.